The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-06-01
THE CITYSHORTIN WATER
THE AUTHORITIES UNABLE TO AC-
COUNT FOR IT.

81 SOON1 FUN II.
The Chief Fireman and Water Works
Officials Differ in Regard to the Pres
sure During Monday Nights Fire
The Supply Supposed to be $50 Gal
ons Day for Every Person Using
City Water-What Becomes of 1t.
The lack of sufficient supply of water at
Monday nights fire was the subject of much
talk on the streets yesterday The same
trouble occurred at the fire ON Lincoln and
New Houston streets little over a week
ago There would, of course, have been a
heavy loss Monday night even if there had
been heavy pressure of water, but beyond
a question the loss would have been small
compared with what it is AS stated in the
MORNING News yesterday, when the en-
gines began pumping, the streams from the
hose barely reached the windows of the
second floors, and for all practical purposes
they were useless.
Chief Fireman Fernandez said yesterday
that Engine No. 2, stationed at Barnard and
Broughton streets, was throwing two
streams and had only ten pounds pressure
ON each from the hydrant, and that was the
reason he turned in a second alarm.
THE FIREMEN BLAMED.
The engines that came out on the first
alarm could have handled the blaze if they
had had water, but he knew that the whole
department. even could not control the fire
with the pressure that was on. Chief Fer
nandez is much worried about the whole
affair because, he said, the department can
do nothing with fire without water and it
is blamed for bad results when the fault is
with the water supply.
Mr.. William Metzger, engineer of the
water works. said that he was on duty Mon
day night when the fire broke out, and
the register showed a pressure of forty-five
pounds, which was as high as it is ever kept
at night He received a telephone message
that big fire had started, and he imine-
diately ran the pressure up TO fifty-one
pounds and kept it there. He was stand
ing by the ruins yesterday when Chief Fer
nandez came up. The = Chief told Mr.
Metzger of having only twenty pounds on
engine No. 2.
Mr. Metzger was then asked if he knew
what became of the other twenty-five
pounds, and he attributed the loss to the
fact that so many people keep the faucets at
their houses open, and permit the water
to run constantly. He said that the city is
working pump that was only built to fur
nish 5, 600, 900 gallons per day, yet it spump-
ing 100000 gallons.
WHAT THE WATER Committeeman SAY.
Alderman George N. Nichols, of the Coun-
Gil Committee on Water, was asked what
and where he understood the trouble to be-
lie replied that he preferred that Alderman
David Wells, chairman of the committee,
should be seen, as he was more thoroughly
posted than any member of the committee.
just as he spoke Mr. Wells walked into Mr..
Nichols'office, and he was piled with ques-
tons. He declined to admit for an instant
that the fault lay with the water
supply and said that it was with the fire
department As to the engine on Barnard
and Broughton streets there is, he said, only
4-inch main below Whitaker street, and
he did not think that any one could expect
to attach hose to a hydrant and throw a
stream to a third story There is a lare
main on Whitaker street, and he unde~5v BOD
that the engine there had all the wstsr that
it wanted. He had heard thst the engi-
neers could not keep steam w In their en-
gines, and he believed the Whole trouble was
there.
Alderman Bogart sald that the city is using
a 100000 gallon pump and running it for
over 5000, 00o gallons, but larger "pump
endsn have been ordered and will be ready
in few reeks. They will give the pump a
cfspaci.y of $500, 900 gallons, and the ends
-Sav used will be transferred to the 5000, 600
eSeflon pump which the city has,
giving that capacity of 100000 gallons,
so the water works can then furnish
R,5OO,0O0 gallons per day.
$50 GALLONS TO A PERSON,
Mr.. Bogart could not understand
how SO much water is used He
estimated that not more than
10000 people out of a population of 5000
use the city's water, and 100000 gallons
per day would give each person nearly $50
gallons.
As to the waste of water through faucets
that are allowed to run constantly, there is
great difference of opinion. 1t seems that
the water committee has not made any
very general investigation to prove that
there is such waste, but they have found
several individual cases, among which was
that of livery stable keeper, whose faucets
had been knocked off and the water
was allowed to run steadily from the large
pipe. One gentleman said that he had tried
TO find some of the faucets that were kept
open day and night but could not do it, and
he thought that the waste is greatly over
estimated, fbut whether it is so or not
heavy losses have been sustained as result of
too Light a pressure and an investigation
will be made TO ascertain if possible where
the water goes to and to suggest some plan
to secure protection from disasters that are
likely to occur at any time. The water
works authorities have forbidden the use of
large hose for watering the streets, ON the
ground that there is not a sufficient water
supply.